




From: Thomas C Hull <tch@ABYSS.MERRIMACK.EDU>
Date: 05 Sep 1999 17:54
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Hello people!  I've been having email trouble all summer and was
kicked off the list back in late June.  But now I'm back and want to
chip in to the publishing thread.

I agree with everything Robert Lang said, but want to add more to this:

>>>
Next tip is, the publisher gets to pick the title, the cover, and the design
of the book (the way the pages are laid out). Although they will frequently
take the author's recommendations, they don't have to...
<<<

Absolutely.  However, I would add Tip #3.5: draw your diagrams on
computer.  This has several advantages, the best two being
(1) many publishers (my experience is with St. Martin's Press) are
more willing to accept a book proposal if the book is already "on disk"
because it will save them production costs.  (But yes, make them
compensate you for the layout/design/grunt work that you're saving them!)
(2) when YOU are the one making editorial changes to the "disk copy"
before it gets printed, you end up having more control of the final
look and feel of the book.

For example, when I was writing "Origami, Plain and Simple" I had
to battle with my editor to NOT take out all the slang that I used
in the text.  She thought it was unprofession, which it was.  But
I ended up convincing her that an origami book is supposed to be
FUN and so it should be OK to use phrases like, "Way to go!" and
"Coolness!"  Since I was writing and designing the whole book
on my computer, I was able to hold out, and eventually my editor
agreed with me.  But if I didn't have that toe-hold on the
production process, I imagine my text would have been slashed.

Note: you can draw your diagrams by hand and still have the book
be "on computer".  (That's what I did for "Russian Origami.")
So even if you don't like the cold, clean look of computer
diagrams, there are ways around that.

Anyway, I'm glad to be back!

----- Tom "yuck yuck, hick!" Hull

PS I've added many pictures to my web page, if you haven't been
there in a while.
http://chasm.merrimack.edu/~thull





From: Dorothy Engleman <FoldingCA@WEBTV.NET>
Date: 05 Sep 1999 18:10
Subject: Kawamura's $ Telephone

Torsten asked for a description of Kenny Kawamura's $ telephone.  Sy
wrote that Kenny cleverly incorporated the ring like print on the bill
as a turning dial.

This wonderful model was in my moneyfold scene in Folding California.

I asked Kenny about his $ telephone and here is his reply, which he has
kindly asked me to share with the list:

** $ Telephone - History **

The original was made for Rae Cooker, and given to her, to use as a gift
to a friend who worked for "Ma Bell". I photographed it, kept copies of
the photo, and later folded another from the photos.

The body is an open-ended cylinder on its side. The hand-piece is a
modified dumbbell-shape, with a waterbomb at either end.

I had just stumbled across the dumbbell shape and was wondering what to
use it for, and had recently seen the open-ended box used as a base for
something, when Rae Cooker asked whether I could make a phone for her
(she had a friend who worked for the phone company, and wanted it as a
gift for the friend) , and it just 'clicked'. I got lucky, one of the
seals on the front of the dollar bill is centrally located on the long
axis, and the right size and shape to suggest the dial of the old-style
table-top phone.

** $ Telephone -- Verbal Description **

The basic folds are simple, I just don't remember the landmarks.

The body is an open-ended cylinder on its side, with a little shaping to
get the 'narrow towards the top' and the 'hooks' to hang the hand-piece
up on.

Cupboard-door-fold lengthwise, find the 'dial', and slip one end into
the other, without losing the dial. Now start with the dial face, and
fold a box, so the dial face leans back. The hooks at the top are from
another cupboard-door fold, with squashed ends. Tuck the surplus out of
sight while shaping the taper towards the hooks.

The hand-piece is a modified dumbbell-shape, with a waterbomb at either
end, and, I think, I had to narrow the bill first to get it in scale
with the base, which conveniently gets rid of the long-edge margins.

Dorothy





From: Carol Martinson <carolm47@YAHOO.COM>
Date: 05 Sep 1999 18:19
Subject: Belated ORCA Convention (long)

Here is a very belated account of the ORCA Convention.

The Convention was held at the University of
Washington campus, one of the loveliest campuses I
have ever seen.  Most of the attendees were housed in
one dorm that included the cafeteria, and the
Convention itself was held in the adjoining dorm where
the rest of the attendees were housed.  The two
buildings were located at an end of the campus on the
edge of a cliff overlooking what I believe is part of
Puget Sound, making for lovely setting but a bit of a
walk to the business and service areas that usually
surround campuses.

Convention goers came from as far away as Japan,
Australia, Hawaii, and England.  Included among the
attendees whose names will be recognized by the
members of this list were Michael LaFosse, John
Montroll, Florence Temko, Gay Merrill Gross, Rona
Gurkewitz, Steve Hecht, Hojo Takeshi, Chris Palmer,
Jonathan Baxter, and Joseph Wu.  As far as I know,
most of them  taught at the Convention, and all were
fairly easily accessible to attendees.  One young
folder was astounded to discover the John he had been
folding beside was THE John Montrol.  Another
8-year-old folder even asked everyone whom he
perceived as being important to sign his convention
t-shirt, creating a rather unique and special
souvenir.

The exhibit area was somewhat fluid.  Exhibits opened
Friday night, but models were still arriving for
exhibit on Saturday and Sunday.  Some displays, such
as Joseph Wu's, were only there on Saturday.  Each
time you visited the exhibits there were always new
things to be discovered.  Michael LaFosse brought some
of his framed origami works along with many or his
creations.  Robert Lang sent a large display including
his newly created lion. John Montroll had a very large
display, and Chris Palmer's fantastic tesellations
were displayed along a huge bank of windows which lit
them from behind.  A large display of Fuse quilts was
folded by someone whose name I do not remember, plus a
number of smaller displays by other illuminaries
mentioned earlier and many of the attendees.  One of
the really nice things was that the exhibits included
the models of several young folders from the Seattle
area, all quite good, who were more than happy to see
their works on display.  The display area itself was
quite striking with the models displayed inside glass
display cases each illuminated by their own light.

Another display area was set up off campus at the
University Bookstore.  There Virgil Manning from
Florida had two display cases full of money folds,
including a fantastic bouquet of money roses taking up
one case, and many animals and other objects in
another case.

The Convention itself was set up in what was called
the European style.  All classes took place in one
giant room at various tables, and separate rooms off
to each side held the exhibits, the vendors, the
lectures, and teaching supplies.  Classes being taught
were posted on giant easels and small easels were
placed at each table to indicate what was being taught
there.  People were encouraged to wander around the
room and see what was going on.  If they saw something
going on that they liked, they were again encouraged
to pull up a chair and join in.  Many more classes
were taught than were listed on the schedule handed
out each morning since people sat down and began
folding together or decided that day that they felt
like teaching.  Two different children with whom I
became acquainted each showed me three different
variations each of a ring modular that had been taught
and wasn't on the morning schedule.  In fact, I saw
many of those rings being shown off at the Convention
by various young people.  I later learned that Gordon
Crane, during a lull in the vending area, had come out
and perceived a need for that type and level model at
that time and so had started teaching.  He was not the
only one who added to each day's teaching schedule.
Much folding also went on all through the night.

Vendors at the Convention included Kim's Crane,
Fascinating Folds, and Michael LaFosse.  The local
Kinokuniya Bookstore and a local art supply store also
had tables.  I was surprised and somewhat disappointed
to not see any origami jewelry from West Coast
folders, but there was plenty to look at anyway in the
vending area.

Since I spent a good part of my time at the Convention
teaching, including even during the evenings and,
strangely enough, a good part of the time on the boat
trip to Victoria and back, I really don't have many
highlights of classes I participated in, though I did
take some.  What was truly the highlight of the
Convention for me were all the people that I met and
toured with and how friendly and gracious everyone
was.  And, of course, the evening three of us ended up
in an Italian restaurant after walking for a long time
searching for a place to eat, being met at the door by
the the owner Mama M, greeting us in broken English
and Italian, hearing her husband Papa M start singing
Figaro in a magnificent tenor, and discovering as the
evening went on that Peter Frampton was dining a
couple of tables over from us.

Carol Martinson

exhibits
setup
teaching
volunteers
things to do in Seattle/Victoria

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com





From: Rjlang@AOL.COM
Date: 05 Sep 1999 22:15
Subject: Re: crucifix

Leigh Halford wrote:

> Has anybody made  Christ on a Cross from a 2x1 rectangle, and using
> a double elias base? If anybody has I won't bother diagramming it,
> if not I will!!!!

Dear Leigh,

Neil Elias has folded a crucifix (white Jesus on a colored cross) starting
from a 1x2 rectangle, but the first thing you do is trim off a strip 1/8 wide
(thus transforming it into a 7x16 rectangle). This was diagrammed by Jessie
Seto back around 1970 but has not been published to my knowledge.

Elias also did a crucifix from a 7x24 rectangle with a color-changed corpus
many years ago. It's published in BOS Booklet #35, which is one of three
reprints of selections from Neil's notebooks. This model references an
earlier crucifix of Elias's, which may be the Seto-diagrammed model.

So strictly speaking, neither are from a 2x1 rectangle. At any rate, if
you've invented your own version independently, existence of other designs of
this subject shouldn't dissuade you from diagramming and distributing your
own version.

Robert J. Lang





From: Rjlang@AOL.COM
Date: 05 Sep 1999 22:16
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Ronald Koh wrote:

> So what magic did you have to do to convince the publisher of your
> 'Origami Insects & Their Kin' that that book will appeal to
> everyone?

As our president might say, it depends on your definition of "everyone."
Dover Publications is a bit unique in the publishing world. They're primarily
a reprint house, so they've developed a business model based on a large
number of very specialized titles. They have short print runs, low overhead,
low costs (more on this in a moment), and offer very low prices. So they can
make money off of very specialized material, like 1948 treatises on complex
variables, Victorian woodcuts of animals, or origami books containing models
that are foldable by only 10 people in the world.

Because of this unique business model, they actually seek out
special-interest titles -- and origami, in particular, has been a very good
product line for Dover. In fact, they do seek out new origami materials, and
their standards are, shall we say, not always extremely high, which is no
surprise to anyone who has seen "How to Make Origami Airplanes that Fly"
(oh-oh, now I'm going to hear from Xuxa Hsu).

However...remember that line about "low costs" two paragraphs up? Dover holds
down costs by purchasing their titles outright rather than paying royalties.
So even though they may sell tens of thousands of copies of some books,
you'll never see another penny after the original check. But they do a good
job and they keep their books in print forever. So if you're willing to sell
your masterwork for a flat fee, Dover's a pretty good place to try.

Robert J. Lang





From: Doug Philips <dwp@TRANSARC.COM>
Date: 05 Sep 1999 23:38
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Robert J. Lang indited:

+However...remember that line about "low costs" two paragraphs up? Dover holds
+down costs by purchasing their titles outright rather than paying royalties.
+So even though they may sell tens of thousands of copies of some books,
+you'll never see another penny after the original check. But they do a good
+job and they keep their books in print forever. So if you're willing to sell
+your masterwork for a flat fee, Dover's a pretty good place to try.

If I may exercise impertinent curiosity... Since Dover doesn't pay royalties,
do they ever tell the book's owner/author how many copies have been selling?
Somehow I doubt that there is even one origami book that sells tens of
thousands of copies....

-D'gou





From: david whitbeck <dmwhitbeck@UCDAVIS.EDU>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 00:56
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

>Robert J. Lang indited:
>
>+However...remember that line about "low costs" two paragraphs up? Dover holds
>+down costs by purchasing their titles outright rather than paying royalties.
>+So even though they may sell tens of thousands of copies of some books,
>+you'll never see another penny after the original check. But they do a good
>+job and they keep their books in print forever. So if you're willing to sell
>+your masterwork for a flat fee, Dover's a pretty good place to try.
>
>If I may exercise impertinent curiosity... Since Dover doesn't pay royalties,
>do they ever tell the book's owner/author how many copies have been selling?
>Somehow I doubt that there is even one origami book that sells tens of
>thousands of copies....
>
>-D'gou

But wait if you guys boast about 500+ people coming to your OUSA
conventions and there has to be at the very, very least 10 people who buy
origami books per person at that convention and that almost every library
in this country carries at least one origami book I would see how one
particular book could break the 10,000 mark, especially if Dover sells in
non US countries.  There are plenty of non U.S. people on the list: I ask
of you have you seen or could order a dover book?  UK should be in on it
just from the fact that amazon is there to.  When I mean order I mean
something simple, not elaborate like: you walk into a bookstore and say hey
I want this origami book and they say okedoke it'll be in in a couple of
days; that kind of scenario.  This is interesting, what are the sells of a
typical origami book?  What is the all time bestselling one and how many
copies were sold?

David

"Recognition of the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of reason is
far more beneficial than blind trust, which can lead to false ideologies
and even destruction."  --Morris Kline





From: Allan findlay <a_findlay@EXCHANGE.CREATIONS.CO.UK>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 03:42
Subject: Re: Muji paper.

Thanks for the replies, I'll go and buy some now.

--------------------------
        Allan           (a_findlay@exchange.creations.co.uk)





From: Matthias Gutfeldt <tanjit@BBOXBBS.CH>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 04:29
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

>===== Original Message From Origami List <ORIGAMI@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> =====
>>Robert J. Lang indited:
>>
>>+However...remember that line about "low costs" two paragraphs up? Dover
holds
>>+down costs by purchasing their titles outright rather than paying
royalties.
>>+So even though they may sell tens of thousands of copies of some books,
>>+you'll never see another penny after the original check. But they do a good
>>+job and they keep their books in print forever. So if you're willing to
sell
>>+your masterwork for a flat fee, Dover's a pretty good place to try.
>>
>>If I may exercise impertinent curiosity... Since Dover doesn't pay
royalties,
>>do they ever tell the book's owner/author how many copies have been selling?
>>Somehow I doubt that there is even one origami book that sells tens of
>>thousands of copies....
>>
>>-D'gou
>
>But wait if you guys boast about 500+ people coming to your OUSA
>conventions and there has to be at the very, very least 10 people who buy
>origami books per person at that convention and that almost every library
>in this country carries at least one origami book I would see how one
>particular book could break the 10,000 mark, especially if Dover sells in
>non US countries.  There are plenty of non U.S. people on the list: I ask
>of you have you seen or could order a dover book?  UK should be in on it
>just from the fact that amazon is there to.  When I mean order I mean
>something simple, not elaborate like: you walk into a bookstore and say hey
>I want this origami book and they say okedoke it'll be in in a couple of
>days; that kind of scenario.  This is interesting, what are the sells of a
>typical origami book?  What is the all time bestselling one and how many
>copies were sold?
>
>David
>
>"Recognition of the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of reason is
>far more beneficial than blind trust, which can lead to false ideologies
>and even destruction."  --Morris Kline





From: Matthias Gutfeldt <tanjit@BBOXBBS.CH>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 04:42
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Sorry for the reply without a reply... my mailreader had some sort of trouble.
Here's what I meant to send:

>===== Original Message From Origami List <ORIGAMI@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> =====
>There are plenty of non U.S. people on the list: I ask
>of you have you seen or could order a dover book?
The only origami books we see here in regular bookstores are german-language
books. Paulo Mulatinho's wonderful books are always available, and *eek*
Scheel-Zulal's books. But until someone translates Montroll et al into german
(would Dover publish in German?), I don't think we'll see those.

>When I mean order I mean
>something simple, not elaborate like: you walk into a bookstore and say hey
>I want this origami book and they say okedoke it'll be in in a couple of
>days; that kind of scenario.
That's what I do on a regular basis. I can also order at my favourite local
bookstore (www.buchseite.ch) by e-mail, and they'll deliver the books by
bicycle courier -free of charge if the order is over CHF 50. Couldn't be any
simpler.

All the best,
Matthias





From: david whitbeck <dmwhitbeck@UCDAVIS.EDU>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 05:41
Subject: crispy fold recipes

Yet another question from the all annoying David: for a 1000W what time and
power is good for a cooked fold that's not burned?  It seems that I can
cook food but not origami!

David
ps I wetfolded Lang's Murex from lizard paper and the effect of accidently
burning has strange fumes

"Recognition of the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of reason is
far more beneficial than blind trust, which can lead to false ideologies
and even destruction."  --Morris Kline





From: Ronald Koh <ronkoh@SINGNET.COM.SG>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 05:51
Subject: Re: Origami Inspirations

How about showing us some of your origami, Colin? Sounds interesting.

Inspiration is all around us, waiting to be discovered. I get mine
usually from books on nature, the zoo, aquarium, even National
Geographic and Discovery Channels.

If folding animals isn't enough, try folding action models, e.g.
dioramas of a herd of horses in full flight, racing dogs, an eagle with
a rabbit in it's claws, falcon with a fish, bear with a salmon in its
mouth, a crocodile in combat with a boa constrictor, or a dog doing what
comes naturally - with a single sheet of paper, no cuts, etc.

Anybody up to the challenge?!

collin weber wrote:
>
>                      Does any one have any advice on where I can find
>                  inspirations for making new and original origami
>                  models also any suggestions of things for me to fold
>                  would be great.  I like to fold animals the most and
>                  I've already created hundreds but I am running out
>                  of ideas for new ones.  One more thing. What kinds
>                  of origami models would you like to make and find
>                  digrams for on the internet or in books?





From: Matthias Gutfeldt <tanjit@BBOXBBS.CH>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 06:06
Subject: Re: Origami Inspirations

>===== Original Message From Origami List <ORIGAMI@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> =====
>     Does any one have any advice on where I can find inspirations for
>making new and original origami models also any suggestions of things for me
>to fold would be great.  I like to fold animals the most and I've already
>created hundreds but I am running out of ideas for new ones.  One more
>thing. What kinds of origami models would you like to make and find digrams
>for on the internet or in books?

This is the second request of this kind within a few weeks. Everybody but me
seems to be creating hundreds of models. Personally, I'm glad when I manage a
new origami airplane every few months- and I'm even gladder when it actually
flies. What am I doing wrong?

Matthias
P.S.: Stop those html and images, please





From: Jeff Kerwood <jkerwood@USAOR.NET>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 09:56
Subject: Thoughts for your new origami page.

Sometime back someone (who?) asked what *we* would find useful for them to
put on their new web page. Well, I've had a thought....

I got to thinking, what about origami is the greatest challenge for me. The
answer, finding the perfect paper for a specific model. Then I recalled
that someone was looking for ideas for their web page. Well, how about
*something* to help people find good papers for specific models (maybe a
list of models and peoples favorite papers for it (but of course there's a
problem, how to communicate what specific paper is being talked about,
but...). Or maybe some kind of paper exchange. A place to trade perfect
papers, a place to say "I have a perfect paper for model xyz, and I see you
have perfect paper for model abc - I'll send you mine if you'll send me
yours". Or a place to post "HELP - I love this model but can't find the
right paper, anyone have a perfect paper for this model, I'll  pay you to
send me some (or I'll trade some of my good paper)".

This is just an idea. I know there would be lots of problems to work out
for this to really work but I thought I'd throw it out and see if any
workable solutions could be found..

Thanks, Jeff





From: Rona Gurkewitz <GURKEWITZ@WCSUB.CTSTATEU.EDU>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 15:36
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

D'gou

    You would be surprised at how many copies of origami books are sold.
I don't know the exact total number, but managed to find out how many
for a period of time and can extrapolate from that.
    Don't know if you've noticed that Robert Lang's "Complete Book
of Origami" consistently has a very high sales rank on amazon.com.
Actually, it's the highest of any book I've checked there. Does
anyone on the list know how to translate amazon's sales ranking
into numbers of copies sold, or how often the sales rank is
recomputed?

Rona





From: Kimberly Shuck <atsina@HOOKED.NET>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 15:40
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Rona Gurkewitz wrote:

>     Don't know if you've noticed that Robert Lang's "Complete Book
> of Origami" consistently has a very high sales rank on amazon.com.
> Actually, it's the highest of any book I've checked there. Does
> anyone on the list know how to translate amazon's sales ranking
> into numbers of copies sold, or how often the sales rank is
> recomputed?

The highest origami book that I saw was "Origami Flowers", but I don't know how
one would translate their ranking into number of copies either.
Kim





From: Paul Jackson <Mpjackson@BTINTERNET.COM>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 16:41
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

>
> >So even though they may sell tens of thousands of copies of some
books,
> >you'll never see another penny after the original check.
>
> This has been true of all the books I've writ and 90% of Paul
Jackson's
> as well. It's not a profession to make you rich.
>
> all the best,
>
> Nick Robinson

Actually Nick, of the 24 books like wot I have writted, this is true
of only 7.
It's just that they tend to be the best-known 7!

Paul Jackson





From: "Jerry D. Harris" <LOKICORP@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 17:34
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Message text written by Origami List
>What is the all time bestselling one and how many
copies were sold?
<

        Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but I seem to recall
hearing/reading somewhere that when Harbin's first origami books came out
in the '50's and '60's that one or two hit the best-seller list in the
UK...?  Dave Lister or some other origami historian know what I'm
recalling, or is it some sort of mental hallucination?!?

 _,_
 ____/_\,) .. _
--____-===( _\/ \\/ \-----_---__
 /\ ' ^__/>/\____\--------
__________/__\_ ____________________________.//__.//_________

 Jerry D. Harris
 Fossil Preparation Lab
 New Mexico Museum of Natural History
 1801 Mountain Rd NW
 Albuquerque NM 87104-1375
 Phone: (505) 899-2809
 Fax: (505) 841-2866
 102354.2222@compuserve.com





From: Ronald Koh <ronkoh@SINGNET.COM.SG>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 21:12
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Matthias Gutfeldt wrote:

 Paulo Mulatinho's wonderful books are always available ..

Are these books available anywhere through mail order? I haven't got a
single one of these.

 But until someone translates Montroll et al into german
> (would Dover publish in German?), I don't think we'll see those.

Books by John Montroll and Robert Lang are imported regularly by Borders
and Kinokuniya as well as some of the better bookshops in Singapore, but
well after the release date in the US. They seem to disappear from the
shelves almost as soon they appear. Which is rather odd, as we can
hardly get more than six folders of reasonable experience together at
any one time, two of which would be modular folders.





From: P Bailey <pbailey@OPENCOMINC.COM>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 21:37
Subject: Re: Origami Inspirations

Matthias Gutfeldt wrote:

> This is the second request of this kind within a few weeks. Everybody but me
> seems to be creating hundreds of models. Personally, I'm glad when I manage a
> new origami airplane every few months- and I'm even gladder when it actually
> flies. What am I doing wrong?

Nothing as far as I know, I don't creater a fold a day either, in fact sometimes
not in a month, but then I am in it just for the fun.

Perry





From: "James M. Sakoda" <James_Sakoda@BROWN.EDU>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 23:15
Subject: Re: A Word a Day - Origami

>Yesterdy, 30th August, deg farrelli quoted from "A Word a Day" the following:
>
>> origami (or-i-GAH-mee) noun
>>
>>     1. The art or process, originating in Japan, of folding paper into
>shapes
>>        representing flowers and birds, for example.
>
>My reaction when I see this kind of thing in a dictionary is that the
>dictionary is making an unjustified assumption.
>
>It is possible, but only possible that paper folding originated in Japan. But
>we have no evidence for this whatsoever. Paperfolding could equally have
>originated independently in different parts of the world, especially if we do
>not confine the process of folding to paper in its strict definition. It is
>very possible that paperfolding originated in China, not Japan. It has even
>been argued that paperfolding originated in Europe and spread from there to
>the east, although I myself do not think that this is likely.
>
>I write this not because I have anything against Japan - I certainly haven't
>- but in the name of historical accuracy. If any clear evidence of the
>origain of paperfolding in Japan should ever come to light, I shall be the
>first to adopt it.
>
>Certainly, Japan has a distingusihed, fascinating and ancient tradition of
>folding paper for religious, ceremonial and recreationl purposes. The word
>"origami" is itself a Japanese word which has been adopted throughout the
>world. This my be the reason that dictionary after dictionary (I suspect they
>copy each other) defines Origami (meaning not Japanese origami, but
>paperfolding in general) as the Japanese art of paperfolding.
>
>But, I stress again, there is absolutely NO historical evidence to justify
>this assertion. It is unfortunate, but true that reliable historical records
>simply do not go back far enough. Even in Japan there is hardly any firm
>evidence of paperfolding before 1600 CE.
>
>David Lister.
>
>Grimsby, England.
>
>DLister891@AOL.com

I respect David Lister's knowledge of the history of origami, but I think
that he protests too vigorusly about the lay person's understanding of
origami.  While it is true that paper folding might have started in other
countries, what we commonly call traditional origami on which is based most
of tody's paperfolding for recreation was developed in Japan beginning in
the 1600's.  This includes the triple blintz fold series resulting in the
yakkosan, the double boat, the hakama, the komuso , some of which were used
as decoration on clothing.  Also developed early in the game was the
sitting crane based on the familiar bird base, which became the most
admired folding and led to the development of the semba-zuru (1000 cranes.}
foldings.  Later development, including the streched b ird base, the
blintzed bid bse, sunken bifd base, modular origami, origami scenes came
later but can be seen as development of beginnings in early origami works.
There are origami which do not follwo the Japanese pattern, such as
starting with rectangjlar paper.  The Japanese willingness to allow
occasional cuts have been frow ned upon by more recent folders.  I would be
inclined to accept that origami as we know it originated in  Japan,
allowing that different types of paperfolded figures could have developed
elsewhere.  Jame M. Sakoda





From: Michael Janssen-Gibson <mig@ISD.CANBERRA.EDU.AU>
Date: 06 Sep 1999 23:32
Subject: Re: Tanteidan convention pics

On Mon, 6 Sep 1999, Daniel Philip Scher wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> If you take a look at
>
> http://origami.gr.jp/Etc/conv99Mizuno/origami_index.htm
>
> you'll find links to many pictures of the model display area from what I
> believe was the Tanteidan's 5th convention.

What an excellent chance to see some of these works, thankyou Daniel for
pointing out this site.

In case there are any others who are too lazy to load a language-decoder
program (like myself), but would still like to know what categories are
listed on the page, here goes:

1. Hana - Flowers
2. Mushi - Insects
3. Animals
4. Kaiju - Monsters
5. Fantasy
6. Shikishi - this one confused me a little, they are pictures of 2D
decorated boards
7. Unit
8. Moromoro - various

Happy to be corrected on any of the above

regards
Michael





From: david whitbeck <dmwhitbeck@UCDAVIS.EDU>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 00:11
Subject: Re: Tanteidan convention pics

Okay somebody tell me what kind of paper was used in folding Engel's
octopus, it's just wow!  And how were those tentacles curled so naturally?
Question about triceratops (and yes, this is your que Jerry Harris) are the
horns of a triceratops curvy or straight and why?  This is from noticing
Kawahata's triceratops, which I'd like to mention I just love what that
folder did to the legs!  Does David Derudas have any diagrams for his
wonderful models?

David

"Recognition of the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of reason is
far more beneficial than blind trust, which can lead to false ideologies
and even destruction."  --Morris Kline





From: Deg Farrelly <DEG.FARRELLY@ASU.EDU>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 00:14
Subject: Kawamura's $ Telephone

When this thread first started, the model seemed familiar to me.  Now,
reading Ken Kawamura's description I am almost certain it is the same model
I recall.

If I remember correctly, Michael Shall taught this model at one of the OUSA
conventions (Back when the organization name was still Friends of the
Origami Center of America, and the convention was held in the Public School
kitty-corner from the American Museum of Natural History).  I took the class
and still have the pieces tucked away in a box.

(As I moved this weekend, finding the box would be not as easy task)

deg farrelly
Phoenix, AZ





From: Deg Farrelly <DEG.FARRELLY@ASU.EDU>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 00:22
Subject: Re: crucifix

If I recall correctly (notice how I am questioning my memory as of late),
there are diagrams for a 2 piece crucifix (one piece is the cross, the other
the body) in "The Flapping Bird".  I believe these were Elias models.

"The Flapping Bird"  was an origami diagram newsletter in the 1970s.  It was
short-lived, but the diagrams were collected into a spiral bound publication
when it ceased publishing.  It was where I first saw Rae Cooker's
strawberry.

deg farrelly
Phoenix, AZ
deg@asu.edu

Leigh Halford wrote:

> Has anybody made  Christ on a Cross from a 2x1 rectangle, and using
> a double elias base? If anybody has I won't bother diagramming it,
> if not I will!!!!

Robert Lang replied:

Dear Leigh,

Neil Elias has folded a crucifix (white Jesus on a colored cross) starting
from a 1x2 rectangle, but the first thing you do is trim off a strip 1/8
wide
(thus transforming it into a 7x16 rectangle). This was diagrammed by Jessie
Seto back around 1970 but has not been published to my knowledge.

Elias also did a crucifix from a 7x24 rectangle with a color-changed corpus
many years ago. It's published in BOS Booklet #35, which is one of three
reprints of selections from Neil's notebooks. This model references an
earlier crucifix of Elias's, which may be the Seto-diagrammed model.

So strictly speaking, neither are from a 2x1 rectangle. At any rate, if
you've invented your own version independently, existence of other designs
of
this subject shouldn't dissuade you from diagramming and distributing your
own version.

Robert J. Lang





From: david whitbeck <dmwhitbeck@UCDAVIS.EDU>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 00:51
Subject: Re: Origami Inspirations

>Matthias Gutfeldt wrote:
>
>> This is the second request of this kind within a few weeks. Everybody but me
>> seems to be creating hundreds of models. Personally, I'm glad when I manage a
>> new origami airplane every few months- and I'm even gladder when it actually
>> flies. What am I doing wrong?
>
>Nothing as far as I know, I don't creater a fold a day either, in fact
>sometimes
>not in a month, but then I am in it just for the fun.
>
>Perry

Does that mean that there are people folding not for fun?

David

"Recognition of the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of reason is
far more beneficial than blind trust, which can lead to false ideologies
and even destruction."  --Morris Kline





From: "Jose J. Ramos" <josesuzi@DBCONNECT.NET>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 03:39
Subject: Re: sales figures

Dear Dave...This has nothing to do with the email I'm reading. I just need
your help. I am trying to find a book for my wife who is very good at
folding origami.  I'm looking for a book that has a varity of models to
fold. She likes things that move when finished. She once showed me this fold
she did that when you moved two folds back and forth a small bug would move
under a bridge and came out on the other side. That of course is just an
idia. If She had ot own a book which would it be.  Thank you....and...I will
be looking forward to more of your controbutions as I read my mail.
-----Original Message-----
From: david whitbeck <dmwhitbeck@UCDAVIS.EDU>
To: ORIGAMI@MITVMA.MIT.EDU <ORIGAMI@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 03:39:55 -0400
Subject: Re: sales figures

>>Doug Philips <dwp@TRANSARC.COM> sez
>>
>>>Somehow I doubt that there is even one origami book that sells tens of
>>>thousands of copies....
>>
>>Think again! My first airplanes book, (flat fee, naturally) sold 40,000
>>in Germany alone. Since first release in 1991, it's been reprinted 4
>>times in England, most recently last month! Add to this Australia,
>>Holland & America & we must be looking at over 100,000 copies.
>>
>>I point this out in response to the question, not to boast - I'd have
>>thought some of the Harbins must be running towards the millions by now?
>>
>>all the best,
>>
>>Nick Robinson
>>
>>personal email          nick@cheesypeas.demon.co.uk
>>homepage                www.cheesypeas.demon.co.uk
>
>
>I thought you just said that no author is rich, but were you rolling in
>money as you typed that in your computer?  Or maybe you were typing that
>and saying honey could you through stack of hundred dollar bills on the
>fire it's getting kind of chilly, even if it is summer out there.
>
>David
>
>"Recognition of the limitations, as well as the capabilities, of reason is
>far more beneficial than blind trust, which can lead to false ideologies
>and even destruction."  --Morris Kline





From: Barbra0336@AOL.COM
Date: 07 Sep 1999 03:39
Subject: Re: Simple Origami

For some good folds for kids try The Joy of Origami by Toshie Takahama, two
by Florence Temko - Paper Pandas & Jumping Frogs and Origami for Beginners.
Some of the coasters in the Joy of Origami book make good little frames for
pictures that they then draw on paper to fit the center.  The kids love to
fold hats also.  I've used both of these books for my kindergarten class as
well as with older kids when I was teaching school.
Good luck, Barbara O.





From: Barbra0336@AOL.COM
Date: 07 Sep 1999 04:34
Subject: Re: Mr. Yamaguchi's & Tanteidan Convention Books For Sale!

Can the convention books and the Joyful Life With Origami be purchased
through you also?  Thanks again for taking our subscriptions.  Barbara O





From: Matthias Gutfeldt <tanjit@BBOXBBS.CH>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 05:59
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Ronald Koh <ronkoh@SINGNET.COM.SG> wrote:
> Paulo Mulatinho's wonderful books are always available ..
>
>Are these books available anywhere through mail order? I haven't got a
>single one of these.
Well, since I can order Japanese and American books here in Switzerland, I
would think that you can order German books in Singapore. I suppose it depends
on the service that bookstores provide in your country.

I'm not sure whether the viereck verlag is still in operation, but if it is,
you can certainly order Paulo's books there. You'll have to find out yourself.
Here's the contact info:
Viereck Verlag
Silke Schroder
Postfach 1922
85319 Freising
Germany
Tel ++49 - 8161 - 41787
Fax ++49 - 8161 - 41785
e-mail: salzundpfeffer@t-online.de

>Books by John Montroll and Robert Lang are imported regularly by Borders
>and Kinokuniya as well as some of the better bookshops in Singapore, but
>well after the release date in the US. They seem to disappear from the
>shelves almost as soon they appear. Which is rather odd, as we can
>hardly get more than six folders of reasonable experience together at
>any one time, two of which would be modular folders.
That's interesting! Maybe you should advertise your folding group in these
bookshops, or ask the owner whether you may put a slip with some contact info
into each origami book? After all, people that are 'organized' in some way
tend to buy more origami books, because they always see what other books their
fellow folders are folding from...

All the best,
Matthias





From: DLister891@AOL.COM
Date: 07 Sep 1999 06:03
Subject: Re: Origami Books of the 50s and 60s.. (formerly: How to write an

Jerry D. Harris wrote yesterday:

> Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but I seem to recall
>  hearing/reading somewhere that when Harbin's first origami books came out
>  in the '50's and '60's that one or two hit the best-seller list in the
>  UK...?  Dave Lister or some other origami historian know what I'm
>  recalling, or is it some sort of mental hallucination?!?

No, Jerry isn't hallucinating! The paperfolding scene in the 1950s and 1960s
was very different from that of the late 1990s. Effectively, organised
Origami didn't start until Lillian Oppenheimer founded the Origami Center in
New York in October 1958. Until then paperfolders in Europe and North America
were few and far between and even in Spain and Argentina, where the
discoveries of Unamuno had inspired a number of followers, paperfolding was
little organised and the Spanish movement was still unknown outside those
countries.

In this situation, books on paperfolding were extremely scarce.  Some that
should be mentioned are Margaret Campbell's "Paper Toy Making" (c.1937),
Maying Soong's "The Art of Chinese Paperfolding" (1948), Joseph Leeming "Fun
with Paper ,(1939) and, most notably, Robert Harbin's "Paper Magic" (1956).
In addition a few books produced in Japan were beginning to filter into the
United States from about 1957. They included two large booklets of "Origami"
by Tokinobu and Hideko Mihara of San Francisco, three similar large booklets,
also called "Origami", by Florence Sakade (still in print!) and several books
written by Isao Honda, but not yet published under his name. They, too, bore
the title "Origami".

As soon as the Origami Center was founded there was a great thirst among the
new group of paperfolders not only in the United States, but in Britain and
other parts of the world. Anything to do with paperfolding was snapped up.
Dover Publications reprinted Murray and Rigney's 1928 classic. "Fun with
Paper Folding" in 1960 and also books on parlour games by R.M.Abraham that
included some paperfolding. Enthusiasts sought out Spanish and Argentinean
books, especially those by Dr. N. Montero and Dr. Vicente Solorzano and "Una
Hoja de Papel" published by Salvatella. Above all, Lillian Oppenheimer began
to trade in paperfolding books. Very significantly she made available for
western paperfolders the early books by Akira Yoshizawa (Origami Dokuhon I)
and by Kosho Uchiyma (Origami Zukan). A diligent book collector might have
been able to gather a collection of about forty titles in different languages
at this time, but only with great determination.

The standard manual in the late 1950s was undoubtedly Robert Harbin's "Paper
Magic", which influenced Lillian Oppenheimer to a great extent. "Paper magic"
did indeed become a best seller and went into many printings, but I have no
idea how many copies were sold. It was reprinted by John Maxfield as a
paper-back in 1971 and as such has only recently gone out of print.

It was only after the formation of the Origami Center that the now accepted
international system of bases and symbols was introduced. Until then it was
difficult for a writer of a book on paperfolding to give instructions for
folding a model. See, for instance the books by Dr. Solorzano. The
International system was the collaborative achievement of Robert Harbin and
Samuel Randlett, based on Akira Yoshizawa's system of dotted lines and
arrows. It incorporated the "moves" that Harbin had indentified in "Paper
Magic" including such terms as "Squash Fold", "Petal Fold", "Rabbit Ear" and
"Crimp". Randlett and Harbin conducted a long discussion about the system by
mail and Gershon Legman and other paperfolders also joined in to a less
extent.

The way was now open for a new kind of origami book. The first was Samuel
Randlett's own "The Art of Origami" (1961), followed by his "The Best of
Origami (1963). Robert Harbin's "Secrets of Origami" followed in 1963. (The
two authors collaborated to avoid duplication of models.) All three of these
books immediately became classics and best sellers on both sides of the
Atlantic. However, I do not know how many copies of each were sold. "Secrets
of Origami" has recently been republished by Dover and there remains hope
that Samuel Randlett's books will also be reissued.

Robert Harbin wrote  few more books which were not strictly books of origami
(even though one was named "Paper Folding Fun") Then in 1968, he wrote "Teach
Yourself Origami" as a hardback in 1968. The next year it appeared in
paperback as "Origami the Art of Paperfolding". As is well-known, it was
followed by three further paperbacks in the same series. The first two books
were published by different publishers and under different titles in the
United States. Harbin's paperbacks were translated into French, German,
Italian, Hebrew and other languages. They were inexpensive and immediately
became best-sellers, being reprinted over and over again, until for some
inexplicable reason, after the English publishers Hodder and Stoughton had
been taken over, the series was withdrawn. Origami 1 was reintroduced under
its original title of "Teach Yourself Origami " and remains in print today,
still selling well.

>From the 1970s, many more books of origami were published in all languages.
Books written by the leading Japanese paperfolders became fairly easy to
obtain. Keeping up with all the new origami books became difficult and
despite the increased number of folders, the market was diluted. Even so, the
best books still sold well and they still do. Of course, I have no inside
source of the number of each title sold, but a comparative table would be
very interesting. One thing that puzzles me is the way some very inferior
books (which I shall not name) are often kept in print while other first-rate
origami books are left to expire.

What is urgently needed is a new bibliography of paperfolding. It would not
be an easy task to compile it for all editions and reprints and for all
countries. I have considerable raw material here, but I regret that I simply
do not have sufficient time. I estimate that a complete list since 1952 (the
date of Gershon Legman's pioneering, but very incomplete "Bibliography of
Paperfolding") would include well over two thousand titles and many more if
separate editions of periodicals were included as separate items.

We also need an active market in second-hand origami books!

I don't know whether this ramble has answered Jerry's question, but I hope
that it will have helped to place things in perspective.

David Lister.

Grimsby, England.

DLister891@AOL.com





From: Allan findlay <a_findlay@EXCHANGE.CREATIONS.CO.UK>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 06:03
Subject: Snakes

On the site sent round earlier of the Japanese exhibition (I can't remember
the name and I have deleted the email) there is a picture of a brilliant
looking Cobra.

Is that made from a single piece of paper?

And, if there are any diagrams of it where would they be?

--------------------------
        Allan           (a_findlay@exchange.creations.co.uk)





From: Orazio Puglisi <puglisi@SCIENCE.UNITN.IT>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 06:34
Subject: Snakes

>
>On the site sent round earlier of the Japanese exhibition (I can't remember
>the name and I have deleted the email) there is a picture of a brilliant
>looking Cobra.
>
>Is that made from a single piece of paper?
>
>And, if there are any diagrams of it where would they be?
>
>--------------------------
>        Allan           (a_findlay@exchange.creations.co.uk)
>

The "cobra" is from David Derudas, a young italian creator. It is made out
of a strip of paper and diagrams are available at CDO website
http://www.essenet.it/cdo/

All the best

Orazio





From: Nick Robinson <nick@CHEESYPEAS.DEMON.CO.UK>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 08:37
Subject: Re: sales figures

david whitbeck <dmwhitbeck@UCDAVIS.EDU> sez

>I thought you just said that no author is rich, but were you rolling in
>money as you typed that in your computer?

Didn't you read the part that said "flat fee?" Less than 1000 UK
pounds....

all the best,

Nick Robinson

email           nick@cheesypeas.demon.co.uk
homepage        http://www.cheesypeas.demon.co.uk - now featuring soda syphons!
BOS homepage    http://www.rpmrecords.co.uk/bos/





From: Nick Robinson <nick@CHEESYPEAS.DEMON.CO.UK>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 08:37
Subject: Re: How to write an origami book

Paul Jackson <Mpjackson@BTINTERNET.COM> sez

>Actually Nick, of the 24 books like wot I have writted, this is true
>of only 7.

So *this* is why you live in the South of France......

Sorry for the error, I was misquoting an old conversation. In fact it
might have been after your seventh book!

all the best,

Nick Robinson

email           nick@cheesypeas.demon.co.uk
homepage        http://www.cheesypeas.demon.co.uk - now featuring soda syphons!
BOS homepage    http://www.rpmrecords.co.uk/bos/





From: DLister891@AOL.COM
Date: 07 Sep 1999 08:47
Subject: Re: A Word a Day - Origami

In a posting sent yesterday, James Sakoda comments in the following way on my
own posting dated 1st September:

> I respect David Lister's knowledge of the history of origami, but I think
>  that he protests too vigorusly about the lay person's understanding of
>  origami.  While it is true that paper folding might have started in other
>  countries, what we commonly call traditional origami on which is based most
>  of tody's paperfolding for recreation was developed in Japan beginning in
>  the 1600's.[continuing]

James raises several issues which call for comment. Rather than give a hasty
reply now, however, I think it would be preferable to defer my reply until
later.

Meanwhile, if anyone would like to look up the issues in more detail, I refer
them to my original posting of 1st September and also to my paper: "Some
Observations on the History of Paperfolding  in Japan and the West, A
Development in Parallel", which appears in "Origami Science and Art", the
Proceedings of the Second International Meeting of Origami Science held at
Otsu, Japan in 1994.

I hope that James's comments will stimulate discussion and that others will
join in. It is only in this way that our understanding of the early
development of paperfolding (and therefore our understanding of the nature
and implictions of paperfolding today) will progress.

David Lister.

Grimsby, England.

DLister891@:AOL.com





From: "Dr. Joel M. Hoffman" <joel@EXC.COM>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 10:06
Subject: Origami bouquet?

I'm thinking of making a small origami bouquet, specifically, a rose
with a stem, and then some "filler."  Any ideas on what to do for
filler?  Basically, I want to create a miniature bouquet, like the
kind one might bring from a florist.  (I'll even wrap the whole thing
in celephane, probably the wrapper from an origami package.)  So I
need some sort of nice green leafy thing, and also baby's breath.

Thanks.

-Joel Hoffman
(joel@exc.com)





From: Doug Philips <dwp@TRANSARC.COM>
Date: 07 Sep 1999 10:43
Subject: OUSA '88 Annual Coll. and The Flapping Bird.

To take the subject line in reverse order:

deg farrelly indited:

+If I recall correctly (notice how I am questioning my memory as of late),
+there are diagrams for a 2 piece crucifix (one piece is the cross, the other
+the body) in "The Flapping Bird".  I believe these were Elias models.
+
+"The Flapping Bird"  was an origami diagram newsletter in the 1970s.  It was
+short-lived, but the diagrams were collected into a spiral bound publication
+when it ceased publishing.  It was where I first saw Rae Cooker's
+strawberry.

I'd like to second deg's recommendation for The Flapping Bird. Its available
from Magic Inc. (they're on the web, easy to find with a search engine, I
don't have a bookmarked URL to refer to) and OUSA
(http://www.origami-usa.org/). This is where I first saw the X-Y-Z Plane and
the Omega Star (Sullivan and Shen, if I remember correctly). And Neale's
wonderful Dragon (which also appears in Ansill's Mythical Beings). And Rohm's
"Puss in Boots" and (others).

As for the first half of the subject of this message, I was recently
looking for diagrams, and find that perusing old OUSA Annual
Collections can be rather rewarding. The OUSA online model index is
nice when you're searching for a specific model, or creator, but when
just "harvesting" in general, I find a visual scan the easiest method.

Anywho, I was quite pleased and delighted to be reminded that the old
OUSA Annual Collections have quite a number of good models (some even
excellent!).  The '88 Annual Collection, in particular, has some quite
nice models, including Shall's Claw Hammer...  deg taught this model at
the OUSA convention this year and handed out diagrams for it. I do not
know if they are the same as the diagrams in the '88 Collection or
not.
    To make a further digression, a search of the OUSA model index
    shows very few of the models by the Shall family. Hopefully the
    recent re-availability of David Shall's Statue of Liberty tape
    will be just the tip of the iceburg.

I hesitate to fail to list the entire contents of the '88 Annual Collection
for fear of offending anyone. The models listed here are not recommendations
by me, but are some of the well known names in origami. A bunch of wonderful
other models by less well known creators are also there, but I hesitate to
mention them without having folded the models first. Here are some of the
models, with an occasional comment:
        Marc Kirschenbaum's Dragon (though this also appeared in
            Ansill's Mythical Beings, Marc himself indicates that the
            best diagrams are the ones he has put up on Joseph Wu's
            website:  http://www.origami.vancouver.bc.ca/),
        A nice Swallowtail Butterfly by Momotani
        A few cute dogs by Ed Young
        Elephant, Tiger, and Alligator by Peter Engel (I think these
            are the same as the ones in his "Folding the Universe" but
            I haven't checked.)
        Ginger Jar by Aldo Putignano  (I think Aldo recently taught a
            Ginger Jar, either at this year's or last year's
            convention, I'm not sure which, and I'm not sure if it is
            the same one as diagrammed here.)
        A cute Hummingbird by Joe Wietrowski
        Iguanadon, $bill Piggy Bank, and Weevil by John Montroll
        Dolphin, Rabbit (which appears in Origami Zoo and at
            least one Japanese Publication (ORU Quarterly Diagrams I
            think) and probably other places too), and "Opus" (the
            comic strip character by Berke Breathed) by Robert Lang
        Rose w/ leaf and stem (two part model) by Ted Norminton (of
            Daffodil fame (Daffodil and Stem appear in Jackson's
            Classic Origami)). John Smith taught me this model a few
            years ago at an OUSA Convention. I was unable to fathom
            them, . Its a pretty "intermediate" model, but like other
            roses, it takes a few extra bits of detailing before it
            really shines (curving petals, some rounding of shape,
            and so forth.).
        Venetian Double Cube and Waterbombic Deodecahedron by David
            Brill (the Double Cube is in his book "Brilliant Origami"
            but I don't recall if I've seen the other model there).
        Cross: 2-D, Cross: 3-D, and several Stars by Philip Shen

-D'gou
